The Role of Loose Parts Play in Supporting Creativity in Early Childhood
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21107/njcr.v3i3.233Keywords:
Loose parts play, Early childhood education, Child-centered learning, Play-based pedagogy, Creative expressionAbstract
Background of the study: Creativity is a core competence in early childhood education, yet classroom practices often remain teacher-directed and heavily dependent on structured worksheets, which may constrain children’s opportunities for exploration, experimentation, and original expression. Loose parts play provides an open-ended learning approach that allows children to manipulate, combine, and transform diverse materials according to their own ideas.
Aims and scope of paper: This study aimed to examine the role of loose parts play in fostering creativity among children aged 4–5 years. The study focused on four dimensions of creativity: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration within an early childhood learning context.
Methods: A quasi-experimental approach using a non-equivalent control group design was employed. The participants were 36 children aged 4–5 years who were divided into an experimental group and a control group. Children’s creativity was assessed through structured observation based on indicators of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. The data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test to determine differences in creativity between the two groups following the intervention.
Results: The findings revealed a statistically significant difference in creativity between the experimental and control groups after the intervention. Children who participated in loose parts play demonstrated higher levels of creativity than those who engaged in conventional learning activities. The findings indicate that open-ended manipulation of loose parts provided children with greater opportunities to explore ideas, experiment with materials, and produce varied forms of creative expression.
Contribution: This study contributes to the literature on play-based pedagogy by demonstrating the potential of loose parts play as an accessible, low-cost, and child-centered pedagogical approach for supporting creativity in early childhood education. It also highlights the value of open-ended materials in creating learning environments that encourage exploration, experimentation, symbolic representation, and children’s autonomous expression.
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